One of the oldest spices in the world, cinnamon was traded from Asia to Egypt as far back as 2000 BC. Ayurveda, Chinese medicine and Persian medicine all use it as a warming herb for digestion, circulation and the womb, and modern researchers are studying it for period pain and metabolic health.
Ginseng has been the prized "root of strength" in Chinese medicine for centuries, and American ginseng was a woodland medicine of Indigenous peoples before it became a major export to China. Here's how the two ginsengs differ in tradition, what modern studies show for energy and fatigue, and who should be careful with it.
Nettle stings on the trail, but it has been a spring food, a joint remedy, a fibre plant and a "strengthening and cleansing" tea for peoples across Europe, North Africa and North America. Here's how tradition uses the leaf and the root, what the research shows for joints, the prostate and urination, and who should skip it.
Valerian has been the classic "sleep root" since the days of Hippocrates and Galen, and it's still one of the most-used herbs for restless nights and nervous tension. Here's how tradition uses it, what the research on sleep really shows, why it can take a few weeks to work, and who should skip it.
One of the oldest and gentlest herbs in the world, with more than a million cups of its tea drunk every day. Here's how tradition uses chamomile for nerves, sleep, digestion, mouth and skin, what the research shows, and the one allergy to watch for.
One of the oldest and most widely used herbs on earth, licorice root is the sweet "harmonizer" of Chinese formulas and a soothing tonic in Ayurveda. Here's what traditions use it for, what the research shows, and why it's one herb you need to respect.
Called the "miracle tree" across Asia and Africa, moringa is both a food and a traditional medicine, and its leaves are packed with plant nutrients. Here's what tradition uses it for, what the studies show, and who should be careful with it.
Sacred in Hindu tradition and called the "elixir of life" in Ayurveda, tulsi has been a daily tonic in India for thousands of years. Here's what tradition uses it for, what the modern studies show, and who should be careful with it.
A dark purple berry that European households have cooked into syrups for generations at the first sign of a cold. Today it's one of the most popular herbal supports for the cold and flu season.
One of Ayurveda's most prized rejuvenating roots, taken for centuries to build strength and help the body cope with stress. Members use it today for calm, sleep, energy and everyday resilience.
